The present invention is directed to a handle for use in conjunction with trowels and related hand tools. The handle is designed to provide a comfortable and conforming grip that allows the user to control the tool, while also being lightweight.
Craftsmen and tradesmen use various hand tools such as trowels for finishing concrete, plaster and the like on a daily basis. It is important to these craftsmen that the tools be lightweight and very controllable by the craftsman. Likewise, it is important that the grip be conforming to the craftsman's hand and be comfortable during many hours of continuous use.
Historically, handles for tools of this type were often constructed of solid wood. The wood could be shaped and formed to fit the hand of the user, but added a substantial amount of weight to the overall device and, because the wood was not very soft or pliable, was not always comfortable after long usage.
More recently, trowel handles have been designed that have a relatively open interior chamber surrounded by an outer shell. In such constructions, there are many different points of construction that must be considered. In particular, it is important to provide a grip that is easy and comfortable to hold, that allows the craftsman to fully control the tool and that is soft and pliable so as to reduce stress and fatigue associated with use. It is also desirable to design the handle so that the interior will resist the entry of water into the interior of the handle when the tool is washed or soaked in a bucket of water.
It is further important to provide an open interior to reduce weight, but also provide support the exterior of the handle in such a way that it is not easily collapsed or compressed by the grip of the user. It is also desirable to have a construction which is comparatively easy to assemble. Finally, it is also important that the user be able to exert forces against the handle to control the tool and that those forces will be passed on to the tool without slippage or extensive wear at the location where the remainder of the tool joins the handle.